7 Vegan and Eco-Friendly Makeup Brushes

Making the switch to using eco-friendly and vegan makeup? Have you ever given your makeup brushes a thought?

Biodegradable bamboo toothbrushes are sort of having their moment right now in the green and eco-community and our beauty tools and makeup brushes are often overlooked when transitioning to a natural beauty routine.

We ought to consider the impact our makeup brushes have on the planet and animals. And asking whether there are better and kinder alternatives available. So, are you ready to brush up on how to make the switch to eco-friendly vegan brushes?

Natural Makeup Brushes Are Hurting Animals

Natural makeup brushes are made with animal hair. The type of animals used vary but it’s typical to find natural makeup brushes derived from goat, pony, boar, squirrel, badger, and horse hair.

Almost all makeup brands selling natural makeup brushes claim to be “cruelty-free” in which the process of obtaining the animal hair doesn’t hurt or harm the animals. The problem is, there are absolutely no animal welfare laws or regulations protecting and monitoring how the animals should be treated or housed. So that means, we have to trust the very same people who are trying to sell us their products, and basically take their word for it and believe them when they claim animals weren’t harmed to make their ‘superior’ products.

But if you really think about it, there’s no way to humanely capture and cage animals so that we can give them a haircut and “take what we only need”. Animals do not willingly give their hair to us, we literally take it from them and then resell it as a “cruelty-free” product.

What can we do instead? Opt for makeup brushes that are made with synthetic bristles instead. Try to filter out the term “cruelty-free” makeup brushes, it means very little when it comes to makeup brushes. Look for the “vegan” label instead, this means the bristles are made from non-animal materials.

Tips on Keeping Your Makeup Brushes as Environmentally-Friendly as Possible

Make Your Makeup Brushes Last – prolong the life of your makeup brushes by regularly and gently washing them to avoid product and bacteria build up and make sure to not fully submerge your brushes under water while cleaning them and dry them flat or hang them upside down to dry.

Only Buy What You Need – avoid buying another 12+ brush set, because do you really need another spoolie brush? and unless you’re a professional makeup artist, you probably won’t end up using 5 out of 12 of the brushes.

Repurpose and Recycle Old Makeup Brushes – yes, makeup brushes do expire. You’ll know when it’s time to throw away and replace your makeup brushes when the bristles are falling out, it’s misshapen and no longer holds its shape, or it doesn’t apply makeup like it used to.

Opt for Brushes With Sustainable & Recycled Materials – this is the category we’re going to focus on in this post. Whether you’re starting from scratch or need to replace a brush, we encourage you to choose makeup brushes with sustainability and longevity in mind. Quality synthetic brushes that were made to last and that are mindful to the planet.

The Best Eco-Friendly Vegan Makeup Brushes

I personally love Eco Tools’ makeup brushes because they’re super affordable and you can find them at most drugstores, and I also love how my 100% Pure vegan makeup brushes look with the white soft synthetic bristles and the pastel pink handles!

I also have several Bdellium Tools vegan makeup brushes which are made with sustainable bamboo handles and soft vegan synthetic bristles however Bdellium Tools does sell other makeup brushes made with natural bristles derived from animal hair. So, I only feel comfortable recommending and listing brands that only offer vegan brushes in this post.

Below you will find a list of animal-free, vegan, and eco-friendly makeup brushes to help you achieve any look you want!

Eco Tools Vegan Makeup Brushes

Eco Tools

Eco Tools affordable vegan makeup brushes and brush sets are made with the finest quality sustainable materials, including recycled aluminum & plastic with renewable bamboo and supersoft synthetic bristles. Their packaging is made of 100% Tree-Free paper. HOW? With 20% cotton and 80% bamboo fibers! Shop Eco Tools on Amazon, Ulta, and most drugstores.

100% Pure Vegan Makeup Brushes

100% Pure

100% Pure’s eco-luxe, sustainable, vegan makeup brushes are made exclusively from eco recycled PBT plastic bottles. Their professional makeup brush collection includes an assortment of face and eye brushes, all made from synthetic materials. Shop 100% Pure collection of vegan makeup brushes 100percentpure.com and Amazon.

Antonym Vegan Makeup Brushes

Antonym

All Antonym professional certified vegan makeup brushes are made with sustainable bamboo handles that are eco-friendly and luxurious and the black ferrule is made of black aluminum giving their brushes strength and durability. The brushes have laser-cut synthetic bristles, which ensure exceptional softness and precision. Shop for Antonym Vegan Brushes on Amazon, Petit Vour, Nordstrom.

INIKA Vegan Makeup Brushes

INIKA

INIKA vegan makeup brushes are made from the softest synthetic fibers and the wood handles are sourced through sustainable forestry, making their brushes a 100% Vegan and completely ethical product. INIKA’s professional vegan brush roll set, which contains 8 of their brushes in a recyclable black canvas roll, is a must-have if you’re just starting out! Shop for INIKA Vegan Brushes on Amazon, Well.ca, Adore Beauty.

Elate Cosmetics

Elate vegan makeup brushes are made with Taklon, a high-quality synthetic alternative to animal hair and the ferrule is made of high-grade aluminum and bound to the sustainable bamboo handle with an eco-resin based glue. Shop Elate Vegan Brushes online.

The Body Shop Vegan Makeup Brushes

The Body Shop

The Body Shop offers a great collection of affordable vegan makeup brushes ranging from face, eye and lip brushes, brush cleaners and brush sets. The Body Shop came out with their line of eco-friendly vegan makeup brushes made with synthetic bristles and sustainably sourced FSC wooden handles. Shop The Body Shop’s Vegan Brushes on thebodyshop.com.

“Make ethical choices in what we buy, do, and watch. In a consumer-driven society our individual choices, used collectively for the good of animals and nature, can change the world faster than laws.”― Marc Bekoff